Edu scores first goal, Beasley injures rib in Rangers victory.

By Robert Wagman (in Washington, D.C.)SoccerTimes

(Wednesday, April 08, 2009) -- Maurice Edu scored his first Scottish Premier League goal and his United States midfield teammate DaMarcus Beasley was injured in Glasgow Rangers' 2-1 road victory tonight over St. Mirren.

In the 19th minute, Edu rose above everyone else in the penalty area, out-jumping defender Stephen McGinn to head home a corner kick for a 2-0 Rangers lead, his first tally for Rangers.

Andy Dorman, a Welsh midfielder who played four seasons (2004-07) for Major League Soccer's New England Revolution, scored in the 56th minute to get St. Mirrin close, but Rangers held on for the much needed victory
win.

It was a difficult night for Beasley, who was carried off on a stretcher off in the 10th minute after a heavy collision. He returned to the field, but left for good in the 16th minute and was taken to the hospital to evaluate a rib injury.

Edu and Beasley got to start because of the absence of suspended Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor, plus Lee McCulloch, injured on Sunday. Ferguson and McGregor were sat down after being suspended from their national team.

On Sunday, Edu entered in the 76th minute of Rangers' 1-0 win at Falkirk. Beasley did not play.

Rangers are in second place at 20-4-7 with 67 points, three points behind Glasgow Celtic (21-3-7).

Altidore returnes to Xerez bench

It was back to the bench for striker Jozy Altidore in Spain after a sensational stay with the U.S. men in which he scored four goals in two games, including three in last Wednesday's 3-0 World Cup qualifying triumph over Trinidad and Tobago in Nashville.

Altidore returned to Xerez of Spain's Segunda Division where he has yet to play for the first team of the second-tier club since arriving in January. Altidore was not dressed for Xerez's 2-1 Sunday victory at Real Murcia.

Villarreal, of Spain's Primera Division, signed Altidore from MLS's New York Red Bulls for a reported $10 million before the Spanish season and, subsequently loaned him to Xerez. According to Spanish media reports, Villareal wanted to move Altidore to Levante, another Segunda Division team, but a deal did not materialize.

According to the media reports, even though the Spanish transfer window has closed, it might have been possible to move Altidore to Levante with Xerez's permission, but La Liga de Fútbol Profesional, the Spanish professional federation, denied permission for the unusual transaction.

Xerez (16-6-9, 57 points), which is in first place in the tight standings and thus in strong contention for promotion to the Prmiera Division, is deep in the front line, keeping Altidore on the sideline. Levante, meanwhile, has been hit by a string of injuries and badly needs help up top.

Levante coach Luis Garcia has seen Altidore and might try to obtain him in the offseason.

Tracy's goal beats Midtjylland for Aalborg

In Denmark's Superligaen, former Wake Forest University striker Marcus Tracy has become a starter for Aalborg and is making the most of his opportunity.

He did not play Sunday in a 2-1 road win at AGF Aarhus, but in the previous match, he scored his first professional goal in Aalborg's 3-2 victory over FC Midtjylland.

Tracy, who spurned MLS to sign with Aalborg, nailed the decisive tally in the 67th minute, just a minute after a Midtjylland player was sent off with a red card. Tracy's sharply-hit header from the middle of the box went in at the right post, just beyond the reach of diving goalkeeper Lasse Heinze.

American striker Jeremiah White went the distance for full 90 minutes for Aarhus against Aalborg. American midfielder Benny Feilhaber didn't play for Aarhus.

Two weeks earlier, White went 86 minutes in a 1-0 loss at Esbjerg.

American defender Michael Parkhurst regularly plays 90 minutes for Nordsjaelland. On Saturday, he went the distance in a 3-0 loss to Copenhagen, two weeks after he played 90 in a 3-1 victory at Sonderjyske.

American defender Danny Califf returned from international duty to play 90 minutes in Midtjylland's 3-1 decision over Horsenssat. He sat out Midtjylland's loss at Aalborg.

Bradley, Gladbach see opportunity slide away

In the Germany Bundesliga, U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley and Borussia Mönchengladbach managed only a tie and loss in its last two outings and thus failed to make a move to escape the relegation zone.

On Sunday, Bradley played 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw at Karlsruher SC.

In the previous match, Mönchengladbach fell 1-0 at home to VfL Bochum. Gladbach dominated the action. but just couldn't score despite outshooting its opponent by a wide margin. Bradley was issued a yellow card, his fourth of the season, in the 76th minute.

U.S. defender Steve Cherundolo is still recovering from a hip injury and did not dress for Hannover 96's 2-2 draw at Hoffenheim or a 4-1 loss at Werder Bremen Sunday. American attacker Sal Zizzo also did not dress for either match..

In the 2.Bundesliga, U.S. defender Heath Pearce came on at the end of Hansa Rostock's 2-0 win Sunday over FSV Frankfurt. In the previous outing, Pearce started his second consecutive game for new coach Andreas Zachhuber in a 1-1 draw with TuS Koblenz.

American keeper David Yelldell went the distance for Koblenz in what was a defensive battle for most of the afternoon.

American forward Matt Taylor played a half in TuS Koblenz's 2-0 loss at FC Nürnberg. Yelldell went 90 minutes in goal.

U.S. defender Gregg Berhalter was released from his contract at 1860 Munich and was signed by MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy.

American goalkeeper Luis Robles was ill and did not dress for Kaiserslautern's 1-0 win at Ahlen or a 1-1 draw with Oberhausen .

Bocanegra busy pulling double duty

In France, U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra has been playing a lot of matches, both in league and with the U.S men. This weekend, the wear and tear caught up with Bocanegra, who came out in the 62nd minute of Rennes' 3-0 loss at Sochaux.

In the week before the playing twice for the U.S., he went 90 minutes in a 0-0 tie at Valenciennes. Both teams ended the physical match with 10 men with Valenciennes maintaining its eight-match unbeaten string. Three days earlier, Bocanegra also went the distance in a 2-0 French Cup quarterfinal victory over Rodez.

U.S. midfielder Freddy Adu was on the bench for Monaco's 1-0 away win at Nancy and its 1-0 loss to Le Havre.

Onyewu still has sore knee

In Belgium this weekend, U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu, still nursing a sore knee, went 88 minutes in Standard de Liège's 3-1 decision over Germinal Beerschotwent. Before playing two games for the U.S., he went the distance in a 1-0 loss at Charleroi.

In Norway's Tippeligaen, Troy Perkins went 90 minutes in goal for Valerenga in a 4-2 loss Tuesday to Tromso. A week earlier, he was in net in a 1-1 tie with Aalesunds.

Two Americans were on the field for Start in a 1-1 draw with Lyn Oslo. Defender Clarence Goodson opened the scoring for Start in the 23rd minute. Hunter Freeman also went 90 minutes on Start's back-line. This past weekend, the pair went the distance in Start's 1-0 decision at Viking.

In Italian Serie A reserve action, American striker Vincenzo Bernardo played in the second half of Napoli's 5-0 romp over Ancona, scoring one goal and assisting on another.